When you cooked so much the pans are fried...

Well I don't think our newly bought non-stick frying pan survived Christmas. The non-stick teflon or whatever bit is flaking off. Same with our Anolon roasting tray. Hmm... so my bro and I went to Victoria Basement and checked out the frypans and such. So expensive, the stuff I wanted to get would've costed a few hundred dollars, but then again they'd last around 15 to 20 years. Hmmm...
But yea, my bro is boasting and whining about the superiority of Peter's of Kensington over Victoria Basement. Honestly, a 25-year-old man whining about how Peter's of Kensington is better and cheaper. He's talking about a homeware and tupperware store!! A 25-year-old man! *sigh* ah well I'm related to him. At least he recognises quality unlike my dad, who recognises "bargains". So we need to go buy 1 large frypan and 1 smaller one... at Peter's of Kensington. *sigh*

Also went to Parra today. I found Max Brenner!!!! And had my usual of espresso and chocolate truffle frappe and strawberry fondue. But I think they changed the name of it to chocolate dip or something like. My bro had never ever ever been so it was his first time. He had a Cookieshake which was Oreos and white chocolate, he didn't like it much. But he seemed to like the strawberry fondue ;) but he was refusing to dip his finger into the chocolate like Leach and I do every July ;)

Oh yea I got a postcard from Leach today! Yays!!! She's ALIVE!! And it was from zee beeaautifuuuul city of Firenze, Florence. I wanna go there too!! "Must urge arch friends ;P to visit if they haven't already." Yea yea woman, one day woman, one day...
It's a shame the stamps covered so much room on the postcard but it usually happens like that doesn't it? I recognised the domed cathedral, Duomo???, patroned by the Medicis if I remember correctly. I want photos, photos!!

Current background music: Heart - All I wanna do is make love to you
Current mood: yays! I got a postcard! I am so bored.
Concurrent webpage: nil

Recent purchases:
- razor plane grater - I think that's what it's called. My bro's been whining to get one for ages.
- roasting rack and tray - hopefully it'll last longer
- springform cake tin - I've wanted to make cheesecakes and the like for ages but we didn't have a springform tin at home so I always haven't bothered.

Do you think it strange that some people think you're "different" for eating food like zucchini, caramelised onions, olives instead of the meat and 3 veg? I mean some people think eating zucchini, caramelised onions, olives is outta the ordinary, well I guess if they eat meat and 3 veg everyday, zucchini and onion tarts would be different. But meat and 3 veg is so boring...
Yes, well anyway, I made polenta, lamb sausages and herb and garlic roasted truss tomatoes for dinner tonight. Very yummy. We tried to have the last bottle of dodgy, dodgy red wine with dinner, but it was so dodgy... we added 7Up to it coz it was so dodgy. That reminds me, we gotta buy more 7Up coz it's the only way we'd be able to down the rest of the wine.

Gahhh... mein Kopf tut weh...

Well, woke up 'round 1200. Gave my brother his Christmas present, then went to clean my room. I know I know, Christmas and I'm cleaning my room.

So I started cooking at 1600 and finished around 1930, but I didn't even cook everything I wanted to. So here is tonight's menu:
- octopus and calamari salad
- Spanish chicken drumsticks in tomato-ey sauce - very, very nice, my favourite
- stuffed roasted red capsicums
- grilled Pacific dory
- patatas bravas

We'll have to buy oysters to use up the bechamel sauce I made the other night and, make spinach empanadas, mushrooms and and, gahhh... I don't remember what I was gonna type. I've drunk too much sangria... the sangria's making mein kopf tut weh... gahhhhh...

Will have to wake up later and eat cherries, Christmas pudding and brandy sauce... and cream...

Current background noise: wacko ballroom music from Channel 7
Current mood: gaaahhh... mein Kopf
Concurrent webpage: Alicia's Usual Rant

Everybody either watch ALW on ABC tonight or Sissi: the Empress on SBS, I don't know whether I can stay awake for either...

WHO WANTS TO SEE NARNIA WITH ME???

OH NO, the fish markets aren't open tomorrow!!

There goes the better half of my Christmas dinner...
Oh well, Boxing Day or the day after it is, can't wait that long for bechamel covered oysters. This will alter the Christmas dinner list quite a bit. Will have to think of something else...

PUN'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE on My putfile. Sorry it takes a while to load but please don't give up.

Yay! I checked my results again. I've got credits in everything and I will be graduating. Yays!

Went grocery shopping in Liverpool today.

Not as many people as I thought there would be. Well then again it's Liverpool. BTW I found out that there's a Max Brenner in Parramatta ;) ;)
Now I don't have to go all the way to Manly for a delicious, delectable chocolate. Mmmm... we have to go to all the Max Brenner's in NSW, there's still Erina Fair, Double Bay and Parra to go to.

So we got the groceries today, we're gonna go to the Fish Markets tomorrow. Yes, we are insane, but we're considering parking in Lilyfield and lightrailing it to the Fish markets... maybe. But we need to get clams, mussels, oysters, red caviar, calamari and octopus. Mmmmm... I think I'll make a bechamel sauce and dollop it onto the oysters and grill. Will have to make it Pacific oysters then and maybe a dozen with a tomato-ey sauce, and a dozen Sydney rock for plain eating perhaps??

We got the photos back today. Well really only one was for free and I think I shoulda picked a different one. I cracked up laughing when I saw them, and also cracked up laughing walking outta the place, and up the escalator, and in the car... there was actually an alright looking one but my brother was grinning like he was constipated or something *shakes head*. So we got one that looked alright, paid $80, we're gonna get a frame from somewhere and give it to our parents for their anniversary. The photos could've been worse, I'm keeping the outlook as half full here. ;)

Anyways, yesterday, there was a dead rat on our lawn! Yes, a dead rat! it was being eaten by ants, and it's right hind leg looked like it was in the process of being gnawed off. I wonder if it was from our house?? It must've been really bored and ran outta our house and started gnawing his leg off. Fortunately I'm not up to that level of boredom yet and my right leg is still on... can't speak for my left leg though.
Also went to Video Ezy yesterday and got the 5 weeklies for $6 deal. Borrowed:
- Who framed Roger Rabbit? - childhood memories, I always remembered him as quite a licentious rabbit, well he is a rabbit.
- The 10th Kingdom - I have absolutely no idea what it's about, I'll find out over the weekend or sometime next week I'm sure.
- Billy Connolly 2002 in Doooblin - say it like a Dubliner, Doooblin. Unbelievable, the tix on ebay are going for $400+ for his shows in Newcastle and Sydney. I wish I'd bought them earlier, dammit, I wish I'd bought them earlier.
- Koyaanisqatsi - I don't know what it's about but I'm sure I'll find out
- Powaqqatsi - same as above
It's a shame they didn't have the 3rd one in, otherwise I coulda just watched it all in one go.

Oh and note a very short video of my new haircut on Putfile, the sidebar. It happens when you're really, really bored.

Current background noise: nil
Current mood: bored
Concurrent webpage: HP ff

Recent purchases:
- 2 chemises from GB - black and white, and brown and blue, lacey type thing going on there.
- CLOTTED CREAM FUDGE - yea baby - will need to make a cuppa tea before I have one
- a steel pudding basin for steaming - it was only $15, I love sales. Good, I was planning on getting one these past coupla years but everywhere else I saw it was $40. Go me!

Pun's new haircut EDIT

Check it out on My Photobucket under 'Puns new haircut'

And now http://www.putfile.com/minervaqm for any extremely short video.

Christmas BBQ was tonight, well really it was last night...

So we went to Lake Gillawarna for the BBQ. I was organising catering, and of course, since I've never organised a bbq before, and I don't know the etiqutte of catering and what people eat, we had a smaller amount of food to eat and forgot about cutlery, plates and trays. I'm better with picnics, much better with picnics. Especially moonlight ones, and Mrs. Macquarie's Chair ones. And random Opera House ones. So I made ensaladilla (potato salad really) with homemade mayonnaise (aren't you proud?!), Christmas pud with a significant amount LESS of cognac but a new addition of a tbsp of Cointreau, puff pastry tarts - one with zucchini and caramelised onions, and the other with mushrooms and caramelised onions. Mmmm...

BUT

I trod on my cup of wine in the dark when we were packing up ;( so when we got back to church, Josh pulled me away to grab at the wine, but our assistant minister said to leave the wine and not drink it, but to only have it with the meal. Well. I understand why he said that coz it was after dinner and we were going to drink it, not because we could but because we wanted to. But still understandable, we had a brief prayer session and stayed back lounging around and laughing.
So it was a good night all in all. :)

Oh yes my Secret Santa was Michelle, I actually knew that the night I received my own Secret Santa nomination. I got the new book by the same dude who does the BUnny Suicides, this one is Great Lies to tell Small Kids by Andy Riley. I have a favourite page already. And I got The Bunny Suicides from Belinda as well *jumps up and down* I luuuuuuurrrrrve these books. :D

Remind me to sms Josh and ask if he has any Christmas gift wishes.

So, I gotta do the housework soon, clean everything, dust, attack. Chuck away clothes that don't fit, or don't wear.

Oh Cat, when are you gonna see LWW? And I'm gonna be bored outta my mind, dare I say it, I wanna go to a Canberra museum.

Current background music: Sandrine - How hard
Current craving: food but that may not be wise

Recent purchases:
- dress - bought it on ebay today, I'm hoping it gets here by Friday (ha!) I paid express post for it so I bloody well hope so.

Save for a 'Results pending'...

I passed! I passed! I've finished this damn degree!! I've finished! But not yet. Just til I get the result for one more subject. *jumps*

So today, I woke up 'round 1000. Decided I am going to go to Sydney Showground and nothing is going to stop me. Even if that means I have to bus, then train and then train again. Instead of just training. So I didn't have any brekky and headed straight out after having only 15 minutes to get ready. Took a bottle of water of course.

Went to see what kinda lingerie they had. Was seriously considering buying pillows as well but decided that may be too much to carry. Then went over to the book/dvd/cd sale. Spent a lot more time looking at the books than the bras. Then went to train it back home.

Got home, sweaty and hot. Made some pancakes for brekky at around 1500. Only ate 2 and chucked the rest out, I burnt them you see and burnt pancakes don't taste that great. Also I had no cream of tartar so I just loaded up on bicarb soda.

Went to buy some makeup (tooo expensive) and a bottle of pale ale for the pudding. And then to Video Ezy. Accidently grabbed the wrong dvd, was supposed to get Be Cool, but grabbed Crash (it was behind the dvd cover for Be Cool I tell you) and also another movie called Tiptoes (with Gary Oldman) yes yes, I know, I know. I was gonna get Sideways but the dvd was out :(

So I'm back home, checked my results which were C, Results pending, C and C. So yays! But the results pending is bringing my GPA down *mumble*.

Current noise background: the fan and La Damnation de Faust
Current craving: water, dehydrated yet again, and also had a shower so has washed all the oils off, and sweat...
Concurrent webpage: Cannot find server *grumbles*

Recent purchases:
- Secret Santa gift
- Spice notes by Ian Hemphill
- 2CD version La Damnation de Faust
- 3 bras
- 2 sand foundation
- pewter eyeliner

I'm getting bored, no not getting bored I am bored.

*squeal* *squeal* *squeal* *squeals knowingly at Cat*

So, I didn't have to look after the kids today, because none came! Yays!! And I didn't have to look after Zachy either. I'd make him cry anyway. ;)
So we had a women's night/jewellery making thing tonight. Learnt how to make jewellery, made some 'eclectic' earrings for Michelle G and an anklet for myself. I may consider taking it up over the holidays if I'm extremely bored and not trying to catch up on this and last year's reading. I stil haven't read the new Christian Jacq book, let alone Terry Pratchett. But I'm hoping to read and finish LWW before it comes out in the cinemas. Oh yes, and I made salmon and cream cheese and dill, traditional cucumber and ham and wholegrain mustard on white sandwiches. And carrot cake.

I won a free photo shoot at Portrait Palace in Liverpool. They called me today so I made an appointment in the afternoon. Darnit, you girls, where are you when a free photo shoot comes up? Oh I know, overseas and interstate and not responding. Well, I have to try and drag my brother into it, I don't know for mum and dad's anniversary, it is their 30th coming up. So it'd only take 10 minutes but all the dressing up and makeup is done ourselves. *sigh* I'd look like an idiot bringing Aragorn wouldn't I? Wouldn't I?? Oh yea, that reminds me, I have to set Aragorn up and drape him in tinsel for Christmas ;) If only I had a lifesize cardboard cutout of Dracula... that wakes up in the middle of the night... wearing a cape... ... ...

*cough*

So, portrait on Saturday, self makeup and dress and bright colours. Great.

I've still gotta write my letter into the Admissions officer. *sigh* I'm really not liking this Honours thing. I'm half regretting declining Liverpool now, but then again, I haven't spent anymore than 2 minutes thinking about it the entire time so maybe I haven't thought it through quite well.

Anyways, I gotta email yabs members about our Christmas BBQ to organise catering and such. Should I make a pudding? I think I'm outta raisins... I think, I've still got sultanas, currants, dried figs, dried apricots, cognac, (I think I'll add cointreau to this one). So I'd need to get suet, lemon, ale and white bread (which I don't eat), you see that's the easy thing, when dad's here, he'll eat the white bread and my brother and I will eat the multigrain and wholemeal. There's something wrong there considering we're not the ones on simvastatin (Zocor).

I spent yesterday making empanada pastry. Basically puff pastry. I have 59 empanada pastry circles waiting for me in the freezer, waiting to be made into spinach, capsicum and chorizo, or perhaps chicken and eggplant for something easier. Oh yes and I've got puff pastry at home so I might make some Cornish pasties... ooooh... I want a Cornish pasty, Leach you better have at least 5 Cornish pasties for me while you're over there. ;)

Okies, gonna go now, oh yes and I'm not gonna be putting up anymore songs til at least Angi gets back from Vanuatu. I have to wrack my brain trying to think of one.

Current background noise: nil
Current craving: water, slightly dehydrated
Concurrent webpages: like I really need to say

I finished! I finished! I finished my blimmin' degree!!

I think, well that's if I pass my exams, which I'll find out next Friday. But I've finished my one month of clinical!!!

So all in all, I really enjoyed this past month, I'm getting used to waking up at 0530 every morning. And I'm realising that if I do stick to the floor (ward work) I will be missing either Christmas or New Year's every year for the rest of my life. The rest of my life, well I'd rather miss out on New Year's than Christmas really, well as long as I get to go to the Christmas Eve service.
Anyways, I learnt a lot this past month, I know the cardiac and emergency drugs even better which is very good.

[EDIT] made it a tad clearer I think...
Pun's first MET call
When: Wednesday night
Where: CCU
Who: my patient
Diagnosis: Hx of acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) and had an angioplasty done that day. Angioplasty: a balloon which is put into the affected artery to compress plaque back against the artery walls. Performed usually through the femoral artery (groin), a large amount of pressure must be placed on the site when the sheath is removed, otherwise blood spurting, haemorrhage etc.
What to do: regular observations ie. blood pressure, pulse, sensation, pedal pulses, haemotoma, ooze. Also we had to turn down the pressure of the Femstop (device used to prevent bleeding when sheath is removed) by 20mmHg every 20 minutes on the groin site.
What happened: I noted his blood had dropped to 66 systolic (they need to be over 90) and his pulse was 43. Normal range for pulse is 60 to 100, so this pt's heart was beating 43 times a minute. So I told the RN with me and looked at him. He was completely asymptomatic, talking, nil nausea, dizziness or shortness of breath, we wouldn't even have known he was hypotensive or bradycardic if not for the monitors.
So anyways, we called a MET, I grabbed an IV line and Gelofusion (fluid used to boost up blood pressure) and started scribing. Other nurses came running, closed the curtains so the other patients in the 4 bedded room didn't have to watch. Although we did freak them out during it.
The patient seemed pretty entertained, surrounded by nurses and doctors and the ECG machine. So we pushed atropine (to increase heart rate) and Gelofusion stat and waited til his BP shot back up to over 100. And he was stable for the rest of the shift. Then we were running late for the rest of the shift.

I'm guessing people don't know what I'm talking about but I'm going on anyway coz it's my first MET.

Anyways, I finished at 1330 today, yays! Then I went upstairs to cardiothoracic and tracked down my friends whom I spent my first 2 weeks with. Made them leave early and headed off the Westfields for a drink (non-alcoholic mind you). Had a great chat, many, many laughs.

There's one thing that I regret over these past 3 years and that's I didn't get to know more of my colleagues. Lata and Amanda are absolutely wonderful, wonderful people and I had such a great time with them. So we hugged goodbye and I'll probably see them next on registration day in January. So I've become great friends with them so that's one thing I regret, not getting closer to my nursing colleagues at uni. :( Hopefully I'll get more opportunities to see them soon.

And then, I headed on home and my bro and I headed out to Hurstville for dinner coz I said "I've finished my degree! I want dinner out!" so we had a 4 course meal each and had creme brulee for dessert. And since my brother is lactose intolerant, he was feeling nauseous all the way driving home. Making me feel very nervous and opening the window and saying stop at a kerb and just puke. But for a cleaner solution, I said to stop by Bankstown Hospital emergency department and use the loo there. So we basically rushed home and my brother had a great time in the loo.

So Christmas dinner plans (not definite):
- Christmas pudding & brandy sauce
- creme brulee - although this looks most unlikely considering my bro's lactose intolerance
- Spanish tapas
* chicken drumsticks
* olives
* garlic mushrooms
* bbq octopus
* tortilla espanola
* patatas bravas
* empanadas
- green salad of some kind
- olive oil and bread

Recent purchases:
- 2 tops
- 1 strapless bra - that fits, surprisingly comfortable, wearing it right now

Current background noise: MTV Europe music awards
Current craving: nil
Concurrent webpage: HP ff

Finally got to see HP!!!

Yays!!!!! After many, many months of planning and stalking on mugglenet, Yays!!!!
So I had to leave work early on Friday to get to Lilyfield early, I was hoping to get a half hour sleep but hehe, unlikely anyway. So I left work at 1400 (since I didn't have any lunch) and headed straight into the city, via Woolworths Metro. Oh and guys, who owes me the $18 and how much do I owe for using Travel 10s?

So I met up with Josh at Railway Square and headed into Lilyfield, ran to the shower, Cat, Ang, Felix and I ate some flamed Christmas pudding with rum sultanas, in the process setting the bench alight. Mmmm... brandy sauce... and double cream... mmmm... I need to go buy some unsalted butter today and make a batch before Dad leaves.
And then Angi left to pick up her sidekick Tim and so Cat, Josh and I had some pasta for dinner. Then we left for the busstop, where the 470 at 1848 didn't come so we had to wait 20 minutes for the next bus. And then we got to the cinemas, it was a HUGE line, all the way from the ticket collecting to Starbucks outside, and that was just for the HP 1930 session!!
So we went in, I bought some cokes, Angi and Tim came a little later with popcorn, watched the movie with several very memorable lines. Played poking games with each other which had Cat turn into a pincushion. Laughed and had to prevent ourselves from laughing too out loud *giggles holding mouth*

Cedric: "You know the prefect's bathroom on the fifth floor? It's a good place for a bath. Take your egg and mull over things in the hot water." Oh man I was dying, bashing my leg from laughing.

Hugged Cat's elbow and the scene where Ron ruins Hermione's night *sob sob* and NOOOOOOOOO Cedriiiiiiiiic...... not that we didn't know it was gonna happen ;) but noooooooooooooooooo... there goes another handsome guy outta the films.

But more memorable quotes:
Professor McGonagall: "The house of Godric Gryffindor has been a beacon in the wizarding world for nearly 10 centuries, and I will not have you destroying it in one night by acting like a babbling, bumbling bunch of baboons."
Fred: "Try to say that five times fast"
George: "Babbling, bumbling bunch of baboons."
Fred: "Babbling, bumbling bunch of baboons."

Hermione: "I wouldn't know. We didn't talk about the tournament. Actually, we didn't really talk at all. Viktor's more of a physical being."

So after the movie, Josh left to head home, leaving a bottle of Cab Sav with me, hehehehe, and we headed towards Loewenbraeu, whom were holding a private Christmas party so they weren't taking any customers tonight! Noooooo!!! So Tim headed on home, and we three maidens with our tired feet and billowing cloaks headed back to Lilyfield via the bus, and walked back where my dad drove up just as we were gonna head in the door. Then I left hugging goodbyes and well wishes, and scheming to keep When Harry Met Sally til June next year. ;)

So it twas a good night I thought :) I'm more so disappointed that last night was the first time someone disobeyed the dresscode ever! In any of our get togethers where dresscode is required, we all put a little effort into in but Josh didn't. Very, very disappointed with him, very disappointed. I hope this isn't a start of people "not caring" or "not secure enough" to not follow the required dresscode. Anyhoo, it's midday and I'm starving. So toodle-ooo, I have one more week of clinical left and I'm done for the degree, Yays!!

Current background noise: nil
Current webage: SpunInJam
Current craving: breakfast, which consists of idlis, sambhar and chutney, although I really wouldn't mind going to Flemington and grabbing from goat curry.

Recent purchases:
- Kate Rusby: Live in Leeds DVD